Aya Sophia, 4/1/2006 - Event Horizon

Home > Adventures Abroad > Turkey 2006 > Aya Sophia, 4/1/2006

Most viewed - Aya Sophia, 4/1/2006

Medallion668 viewsThe huge circular medallions date from the renovation of 1847-49 undertaken by Sultan Abdulmajid. They are inscribed with the names of Allah, Muhammad, the first four caliphs, and the grandchildren of Muhammad.

Empress Zoe mosaic668 viewsChrist is seated in the middle holding a Bible; on the left is Emperor Constantine IX Monomachus, and on the right, Empress Zoe. Dates from the 11th century AD. Located on the eastern wall of the southern gallery.

Deësis Mosaic664 viewsDeësis = Entreaty. The Virgin Mary (left) and John the Baptist (right) are entreating Christ (center) to intercede for humanity on Judgment Day. This mosaic was commissioned to celebrate the return of Aya Sophia to the Orthodox Church on the demise of the Latin Empire in 1261.

Column Detail663 viewsThe capitals of the marble columns displayed some extremely intricate filigree work.

Grand Bazaar661 viewsThe Kapalıçarşı ("covered market") is one of the oldest and largest indoor malls in the world. It traces its beginnings to shortly after the Turkish conquest, and since then has grown to over 4,000 shops distributed over 61 covered avenues.

Masked Man660 viewsAttila warned us that there was a danger of avian flu and told us that we should wear masks to Aya Sophia. I had brought some surgical masks to wear on airplane flights, so this was an opportunity to make good use of them.

View from the Narthex658 viewsLooking into the interior of the church through one of the doors in the narthex. The scaffolding seen on the right in this picture enabled workers to climb to the dome to perform repair work.

Trying His Luck656 viewsDavid Lindquist tries his luck at the Wishing Column. According to the legend, many people have been cured of illness after touching this column. David wasn't sick at the time, so this was not a valid test of that part of the legend.

Grave of Enrico Dandolo652 viewsDoge of Venice and leader of the Crusader forces that sacked Constantinople in 1204. In the southern gallery. He died during the expedition and was buried in Aya Sophia.

The Comnenus Mosaic650 viewsDates from 1122. The Virgin Mary is in the center, holding the Christ child; on the left is Emperor John Comnenus; on the right is Empress Irene, a daughter of King Ladislas I of Hungary.

Cenotaph649 viewsActually, this isn't really his tomb, which was destroyed by the Turks when they conquered Constantinople. It is a marker, or cenotaph, placed by Italians in the 19th century near the probable site of the tomb.

Full Veil649 viewsA strict Islamic family visits the upper gallery of Aya Sophia.

59 files on 5 page(s)

Debug Info

Debug Output: show / hide

USER: 
------------------
Array
(
    [ID] => cce37461ec9c241b4ba0302a615769fe
    [am] => 1
)

==========================
USER DATA:
------------------
Array
(
    [user_id] => 0
    [user_name] => Guest
    [groups] => Array
        (
            [0] => 3
        )

[group_quota] => 0
    [can_rate_pictures] => 1
    [can_send_ecards] => 0
    [can_post_comments] => 0
    [can_upload_pictures] => 0
    [can_create_albums] => 0
    [pub_upl_need_approval] => 1
    [priv_upl_need_approval] => 1
    [access_level] => 3
    [disk_max] => 0
    [disk_min] => 0
    [has_admin_access] => 0
    [group_name] => Guests
    [can_create_public_albums] => 0
    [can_see_all_albums] => 0
    [group_id] => 3
    [allowed_albums] => Array
        (
        )

)

==========================
Queries:
------------------
Array
(
    [0] => SELECT name, value FROM cm_config [include/init.inc.php:177] (0.29 ms)
    [1] => SELECT * FROM cm_plugins ORDER BY priority [include/plugin_api.inc.php:48] (0.13 ms)
    [2] => SELECT MAX(group_quota) AS disk_max, MIN(group_quota) AS disk_min, MAX(can_rate_pictures) AS can_rate_pictures, MAX(can_send_ecards) AS can_send_ecards, MAX(can_post_comments) AS can_post_comments, MAX(can_upload_pictures) AS can_upload_pictures, MAX(can_create_albums) AS can_create_albums, MAX(has_admin_access) AS has_admin_access, MAX(access_level) AS access_level, MIN(pub_upl_need_approval) AS pub_upl_need_approval, MIN( priv_upl_need_approval) AS	 priv_upl_need_approval FROM cm_usergroups WHERE group_id in (3) [bridge/udb_base.inc.php:350] (0.14 ms)
    [3] => SELECT group_name FROM cm_usergroups WHERE group_id= 3 [bridge/udb_base.inc.php:362] (0.08 ms)
    [4] => SELECT COUNT(*) FROM cm_categorymap WHERE group_id in (3) [bridge/udb_base.inc.php:375] (0.09 ms)
    [5] => SELECT aid FROM cm_albums WHERE moderator_group IN (3) [include/init.inc.php:271] (0.12 ms)
    [6] => SELECT lang_id FROM cm_languages WHERE enabled='YES' [include/init.inc.php:334] (0.09 ms)
    [7] => DELETE FROM cm_banned WHERE expiry < '2026-06-15 01:38:21' [include/init.inc.php:448] (0.56 ms)
    [8] => SELECT null FROM cm_banned WHERE ('216.73.217.71' LIKE ip_addr OR '' LIKE ip_addr ) AND brute_force=0 LIMIT 1 [include/init.inc.php:464] (0.22 ms)
    [9] => SELECT aid FROM cm_albums WHERE (1  AND visibility != 0 AND visibility != 10000 AND visibility NOT IN (3)) [include/functions.inc.php:1110] (0.06 ms)
    [10] => SELECT category, title, aid, keyword, description, alb_password_hint FROM cm_albums WHERE aid = 35 [thumbnails.php:136] (0.22 ms)
    [11] => SELECT p.cid, p.name FROM cm_categories AS c,
                cm_categories AS p
                WHERE c.lft BETWEEN p.lft AND p.rgt
                AND c.cid = 14
                ORDER BY p.lft [include/functions.inc.php:2940] (0.04 ms)
    [12] => SELECT COUNT(*)
                FROM cm_pictures AS r
                INNER JOIN cm_albums AS a ON a.aid = r.aid
                WHERE (r.aid = 35) AND r.aid NOT IN (12, 51)
                AND approved = 'YES'
                AND hits > 0 [include/functions.inc.php:1717] (1.7 ms)
    [13] => SELECT r.pid, r.aid, filepath, filename, url_prefix, pwidth, pheight, filesize, ctime, r.title, r.keywords, r.votes, pic_rating, hits, caption, r.owner_id, user1, user2, user3, user4
                FROM cm_pictures AS r
                INNER JOIN cm_albums AS a ON a.aid = r.aid
                WHERE (r.aid = 35) AND r.aid NOT IN (12, 51)
                AND approved = 'YES'
                AND hits > 0
                ORDER BY hits DESC, pid ASC
                 LIMIT 24 ,12 [include/functions.inc.php:1734] (2.89 ms)
    [14] => SELECT extension, mime, content, player FROM cm_filetypes [include/functions.inc.php:5952] (0.11 ms)
)

==========================
GET :
------------------
Array
(
    [album] => topn
    [cat] => -35
    [page] => 3
)

==========================
POST :
------------------
Array
(
)

==========================
COOKIE :
------------------
Array
(
)

==========================

Event Horizon - Astronomical and Terrestrial Images